Automatic timing valve



l,645,763 Oct' 18 1927 G. E. LUNDBERG ET AL 4 AUTOMATIC TIMING VALVE Filed March 12. 1926 J6 z i f5 Patented Oct. 18., 1927.

GUNNAR LUNDBERG AND liVAR EPPSSON, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC TIMI'NG VALVE.

Application filed March 12, 1926. Serial No."94,134.

When sprinkling lawns by means of automatic sprinklers thesprinkler is very often set in a desiredposition to sprinkle a Selected area. It frequently happens that the sprinkler is forgotten, or no trace has been kept of the length of time that the sprinkler has been in operation in a predetermined location. It alsohappens quite frequently that: the" sprinkleris left in operation over night thereby notV only. causing' an extravagantv waste of water but resulting in the flooding of the area while other portions of j the lawn are practically dry. i

In order to obviate the above diiiculties,

thisv invention has been devised for the purpose'ofproviding an improved automatic timing valve adapted to be used in a sprinkler hose between the supply faucet and the automatic sprinkler for the purpose of permitting the sprinkler to operate vfor a. preoff. l

It is an objectof this invention to provide an automatic timing valve for automatic lawn sprinklers.v

It is .also'an object ofthis invention to provide an automatic timing Valve in a sprinkling orwater supply'hose.

It is a further object of thisinvention to provide a valve for usefin connection with I water supply hoses and sprinklers, said valve adapted to be adjusted so that the saine will automatically close to shut off the supply ofwater after a predetermined elapse determined time and then automatically shut lIt is an importantobj ect of this invention to vprovide an improved pressure control valve, adapted to be setjfto permit liquid to' flow therethrough fora predetermined length of time after which thefvalve is automatif cally released and; closed to shut off the flow of liquid therethrough. o

Other and further" important objects of this invention will be apparent fromthedisclosures in the specication and the laccompanying drawings. n l

This invention'l (ina preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.'v j' On ythe drawings: j

Figure 1 isal side elevation of an automatic lrotatable'typenof llawn sprinkler and a fragmentary portion of a water sprinkling hose connected therewith, said hose having connected therein an automatic timing 'valve emboding the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan View ofv the automatic timing valve.

Figurev 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the valve taken on line III-III of Figure 2 with parts shown in elevation.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on line IV-IV of Figure 3 with parts in elevation.

As shown onthe drawings The reference numeral 1 indicates an automatic sprinkler' stand having rotatably' mounted on the top thereof a spray wheel 2 `of vany desired construction. Connected to the base of theautomatic sprinkler'stand is one end of a water hose 8 the other end of which is adapted to be connected with any suitable source of water supply. Connected in the hose 3 between the source of water supply and the automatic water sprinkler is an automatic timing valve embodying the principles of this invention.

The timing valve comprises a base 4 provided with a supporting flange 5 or other suitable means, said base 4 having ak pressure chamber 6 therein. 'Provided in the central portion of the bottom 7 of ythe base is a threaded opening adapted to removably receive a'threaded plug 8. Integrally formed on one side of the base 4 is a projection or valve housing V9 provided with a vertical passage 10 and with ahorizontal passage in which av thimble or valve sleeve 11 is engaged. The valve sleeve is providedwith a diametrical passage 12 communicating with the passage 10. The inner end of the valve sleeve 11 is threaded into position and provided with a valve seat 13 in which a needle valve 14 is adapted to seat. The needle valve 14 is connected with a threaded valve stem 15 having a knurled head 16 engaged on the outer end thereof. The head 16 is provided witha plain rim portionr on which is applied a graduated scale to facilitate ad- `justment of the needle valve 14. A finger valve housing 9 in the upper end of the passage 10 is a strainer or screen 18 to prevent dirt from coming into contact with the needle valve. Mounted upon thejllange 19 ol the base 4 is a flexible diaphragm 2U which closes the upper end of the compression chamber 6.

Seateduponthemargin ofthe diaphragm 20 is a ring 21 held in place by means of retaining screws 22 or other suitable means. Integrally connected with the ring V21 are a plurality of radially directed arms or legs 23 whiclrsupport a cylindrical valve casing or Vhousing 24. Integrally connected with :one gend ot the valve casing 24 is an inlet pipeor arm 25, the outer portion of the inner Eperipheryoi which is Vthreaded to receive one end of a hose coupling 26. Connecting the ,inlet pipe 25 with thesupport inguringw2'1 is a 4vertical by-pass pipe or tube 27A havingl a `passage.therethrough the lower end of which communicates .with the strainer or ,screen18 while-the upper end or vthe tube passage communicates with the interior Aof the intake pipe -25 The valve casing 24 is provided with a transverse partition 28 which divides the interior of the `valve casing 24 into an in takechamber 29 vand an outlet chamber 230. The :partition 28 is formed with a valve seat 3 1 4which projects into the intake chau ber 29 Van'dpis adapted to receive a main control or shut ott falve 32. Mounted in the intake pipe 2 5'is a spiral control spring .133 fthe outer `end oi? which lits against- `the hosecoupling 26 while the inner end .ol'fsaid spring seats within a recess in .the main valve 32as clearly .illustrated in 4l `igure il. Connected axiallywith the partition 2 8 isa Cguide sleeve 34 which lprojects into the valve chamber and affords a guide tor a valve stem 35 which supports ,the main valve2. The valve stem is provided with a peripheralgroove 3G to removably receive the u er hooked end 37 ot a locking rod 3&3.

Thehook finember `37 vsljidablv projects into a gnideopening in the sleeve @-1. The `louer end ofthe locking .rod 38 projects axially downward through a projection 39 termed within vthe chamber 30 of ,the valve casing 24. The projection 39 is recessed to receive a Vpacking V40 which is held in place by means of a threaded sleeve 41. The lower en d vof the fhooked rod 3S projects through ithepacking 40 and the sleeve 41 and contact/s the upper surface of `the diaphragm 20. Engaged Aon the lower end oli the hooked rod L3 8 between the diaphragm 20 and the sleeve 41 is a control spring adapted to normally7 hold the hook 37 its lower rock-ed position as indicated Figures and 4. Then the hook 37 is in it-slloeked position engaged in the groove 3G of the valvestem 35, the main control valve is held in its open position as shown in 45 in which .a plunger rod 4 6' vis slidably mounted. A `plunger head 47 is formedon the inner end of the plunfrer rod 46 .for Vc0- action .with orieend of til-ie .valve stein 35. When it .is desired tomove the main CQIlftrol valve '32 from a closed into an open lposil tion, .a knurledhead 48 formed on'fthebuterprojectingend of the plunger llOd .46 Ais actuated to bring the plunger head .47 into contact with the valve stem 35.

The operation is :as followsi As illustrated in Figure 1 the improved automatic timing valve yis-connectedin .the water supply hose 3 between the point oi supply and the automatic sprinkler I1 .-2 The automatic sprinkler is set ina desired lot-,ation upon a lawn so that the selected arca may be properly.V sprinkleiil. The duration ot'sprinkling may be timed by means ot the improved automatic timing valve, the period of operation depending uponthe adjustment of the needle valvey :14. flloadjust the device the needle valve head 16 is ro.n tated into an adjusted position which may be readilysecured .by setting the graduated rim portion of thehead in .apredetermiiied position with respect to .the indicator or pointer 17. jlhis adjustmentof vthe needle A valve head sets the needle valve 14.

The main ,control valve ,32 is normally set in an open position :by pushing the plunger rod 46 inwardly thereby causing the plunger head 47 to contact one end .ot' the vvalvestem to slide said .valvestem in the guide sleeve 34 until'the groove 36 oic the valve stem is brought into a position to register with the locking `hook 37. lWhen this position of adjustment `'is reached Fthe spring 42 acts ito automatically pull the locking hook 37 inwardly `into the groove 36 thereby holdingthe valve 32 in the open positiom illustrated in Figure 3` against the action of the ,coil spring 33 which is .of course compressed. Y

lVhen the lneedle valve ,14 is set in a desired position vot adjustment `to time` the supply of water Vto* thepipe 3 is turned on thereby permitting the water to flow trom the ,hose 8 throughy the coupling 26 and into the inlet pipe 25. From the l permit .the r sprinkler to operate for a .predetermined lllll Ill?) pipe 25 the water flows into the intake chamber 29 of the casing 24 and then through the open valve seat 31 into the outlet chamber 30 from which point the water flows through the outlet pipe 44 and the hose 3 into the ,base portion 1 of the vsprinklei'.l 'From the base of the sprinkler the water is distributed through the spray wheel 2 to rotate the same to cause a centrifugal distribution of the water for the purpose of sprinkling the lawn.

With the valve 32 in open position and the water passing through the main portion y of the device a small yquantity of the water passes from the intake pipe downwardly through the passage-in the by-pass pipe 27 and throughthe iiltering screen 18 which acts to remove dirt and other foreign matter from the water entering the passage 10. The water entering the pipe 10 flows into the valve sleeve 13 and passes around the vadjusted needle valve 14 entering the compression chamber 6 of the ybase 4. When the compression chamber 6 becomes filled with water the. pressure is gradually increased until it equals the pressure in the main pipe line, after which the increase in the pressure within the chambenb acts to deflect the diaphragm 2O upwards thereby sliding the rod 38 upwards against the action of the spring 42. When this 'operation occurs the locking hook 37 is moved out of locking engagement with the groove 36 of the main valve stem thereby automatically releasing the main valve 32 permitting the flow of water from the hose 3 and the action of the control spring 33 to seat the valve 32 in the valve seat -31 thereby automatically shutting ofi' the supply of water to the sprinkler, after it has sprayed for a predetermined length of time.`

The sprinkler may now be moved into an.- other positionl on Vthe' lawn after which the plug 8 in the base portion 4 may be removed thereby allowing the water within the chamber 6 to flow therefrom to release the pressure within said chamber. The plug may then be put back into position and the plunger rod 46 is then pushed inwardly moving the valve- 32 into open position so that the hook 47 may again lockingly engage in the valve stem groove 36 to hold the valve 32 in open position against the action of the spring 33. The supply of water to the hose 3 may now again be turned on and the operation repeated.

With the. needle valve 14 controlling the lling up of the pressure chamber 6 it will be seen that Vthe device'may be readily set to -cause the sprinklerto spray for any desiredperiod of time,

lVhile the automatic timing valve is shown in connection with a water sprinkling device it will of course be understood that theimproved valve mechanism may be Vand distribution of liquids.

7c areV aware that many changes may be made. and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwisethan necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. An automatic timing valve mechanism comprising a casing, a partition therein formed with a valve seat, an intake pipe connected with one end of said casing, an outlet pipe connected with the opposite end of said casing, a main valve, a control spring for holding the same seated in said [valve seat, a guide sleeve formed on said partition, a latch hook engaged therewith, a valve stem connected with said main valve and having a groove therein in which said latch hook is adapted to engage to hold the main valve in an open position against the action of said spring, a spring for holding the latch hook in locked position, a chambered base section below said casing, a bypass connecting said section with said pipe, a diaphragm on said base section below said latch hook, a filtering screen in said by-pass pipe, and an adjustable needle valve device in said by-pass pipe below the filter screen to control the seepage of water from said intake pipe into the base section below said diaphragm to govern the length of time necessary for the filling of said base section before the diaphragm is deflected to automatically release the latch hook to permit the spring in the intake pipe to automatically close the main valve and shut off the flow of liquid through the casing. Y

2. An automatic timing device comprising a partitioned valve casing having a valve seat formed therein. a main control valve, a grooved stem connected therewith, a latching device, means for moving the grooved-valve stem and the main control valve into a position' to permit the latching device to lockingly engage said grooved valve stem to hold the valve in open position, a diaphragm mechanism for co-action with said latching device, and an auxiliary valve device adapted to be adjusted to cause automatic operation of said diaphragm mechanism at a predetermined time to automatically release said latching device to permit the main control valve to seat in said valve seat to shut oli the flow ofliquid through said casing.

3. An automatic timing device comprising a valve casing, a partition therein having 'a valve seat formed therein, a main control valve, a spring for holding said main control Vvalve in said valve seat, a grooved valve stem connected with said main control valve, a latching device, a plunger for sliding said lia hi-:win therein below said 'latchinfr device, a by-pasfs ypipeconnectingSaid casing Witlisaid basesectioinafilter in said by-pass pipe/.ie @needle valve in said by-pass pipe ,to govern the How ofiiquid from said casing 1 into Said baise section :below the diaphragm,

and means connected "with Asaid needle :valve tosct thesame in a predetermined ,adjusted position toicontrol :the :time of operatl'onlof said dinph ragni and the automatic releasing of said bitching device at `i predetermined time. Y

In testimony where/of, We have hereunto subscribed our names.

GUNNAR E. ILUNDBERG. vIVAR JEPPSSON. 

